Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 060. The Meeting (1)

About three weeks had passed.

Since Anagin joined the New Argonaut Expedition Team.......

And during those three weeks, there had been a few changes.

The first was that they had crossed back from Hellas into Anapik.

Having joined forces with the New Argonaut Expedition Team, Anagin steadily pushed back the Forest Brotherhood and advanced into Anapik.

Thanks to Stas Polis, which provided supplies, and Sciron, who supplied internal information, the process was smooth beyond measure.

In particular, Sciron’s contribution was the greatest, as he knew every detail about the bandit groups affiliated with the Forest Brotherhood—their numbers, locations, and behavioral patterns.

‘I’ll tell you everything I know, so please just move that rock. I’m sick of passing out already!’

The second change was that the “New Argonaut Expedition Team,” which had been fighting the Forest Brotherhood, had somehow turned into an organization called the “Anti-Forest Brotherhood.”

The reason for this was that, in the course of fighting the Forest Brotherhood, countless people had joined them.

When their numbers were small at first, the New Argonaut Expedition Team and a handful of stragglers had been more than enough, but as repeated victories swelled their ranks, the situation inevitably changed.

‘Decide. Will you keep using the name New Argonaut Expedition Team, or will you create a new name?’

One day, after repeatedly ambushing the Forest Brotherhood based on information from Sciron and drawing in more people with each victory, the Instructor made this proposal.

Would they continue to put forward the name of the New Argonaut Expedition Team, or would they establish a new name to match their increased numbers?

The former would enhance the prestige of the New Argonaut Expedition Team’s name, but if even a single mistake were made, they risked bearing all the blame alone, and there was also the downside that latecomer riffraff might be mistaken for members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

Conversely, the latter meant sharing the credit for subjugating the Forest Brotherhood, but it also allowed them to share the risks accordingly and preserve the purity of the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

‘Refusing to accept any new members could also be an option, but.......’

The New Argonaut Expedition Team did not choose that option.

Perhaps because the Forest Brotherhood’s numbers were so large, they accepted almost everyone and continued to increase their headcount. Considering the expanding battlefield and the sheer number of enemies, they said it was an unavoidable choice.

In any case, Irida, Tramachus, Thyreos, and Lynceus.

The four members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team decided to use the rather half-hearted name “Anti-Forest Brotherhood” to match their growing numbers.

‘What’s the reason?’

‘A name is an identity. We judged that the name Anti-Forest Brotherhood suits the mission.... And it also prevents riffraff from using the New Argonaut Expedition Team’s name.’

‘But if you do that, neither your name nor the New Argonaut Expedition Team’s name will truly shine.’

‘There’s no need to worry about that. We’re the ones commanding the Anti-Forest Brotherhood, after all.’

The handsome Tramachus offered a solution as plausible as his face.

The best strategy to reduce risk and maximize profit.

They would put forward a new name to minimize potential danger while preserving the prestige of the New Argonaut Expedition Team, but they themselves would hold the reins as its head.

If things went well, all the credit would go to the head; if things went wrong, the pain would be shared.

Of course, that was only after properly playing the role of the head, but fortunately, Tramachus had an exceptional talent for managing people.

He categorized and organized the bounty-hunting vigilantes and practitioners who came merely to get a share after hearing the news of the Forest Brotherhood’s subjugation, established a command structure, and led from the front by example.

He claimed to be royalty, and his skill in managing people was indeed exceptional.

Of course, that didn’t mean Tramachus was outstanding while the others were lacking.

Members of the New Argonaut Expedition Team, such as Irida, Thyreos, and Lynceus, also possessed the charisma to lead people and the command ability to direct them.

'The Chiron Tower doesn't just teach fighting.'

Sphinx explained first, even though no one had asked.

True to its reputation as the elite course that practitioners could take, the Chiron Tower didn't just teach fighting. It taught all the general knowledge necessary for a hero, including history, culture, language, mathematics, strategy, and tactics.

‘But the greatest advantage of entering Chiron Tower is that it increases your chances of receiving a blessing.’

A blessing.

It was an unfamiliar concept to Anagin, who hadn’t been a practitioner for long and knew little, but he soon understood what it was.

Powers like Irida’s wind, which allowed her to land safely even after jumping from great heights, increase her running speed, or alter the trajectory of arrows—those were blessings.

A special, magic-like power received from a god!

There were many kinds of blessings, and most were alluring. Even an ordinary person could gain monstrous strength like a Gigant, a long lifespan and eternal youth like a nymph, or mysterious, magic-like powers.

It was understandable why practitioners were so desperate to receive a blessing from a god.

Of course, obtaining a blessing was no easy feat....

However, there was a relatively easy way to obtain one.

By entering the Chiron Tower and undergoing training.

A disciple of Chiron, who was divinely commanded by Zeus to raise heroes, had a comparatively high probability of receiving a blessing. The New Argonaut Expedition Team was such a case.

“Blessed Ones” who had received blessings with Chiron’s help.

During the three weeks he spent with them, Anagin had the chance to witness their blessings.

Irida’s wind, which controlled her own body and the trajectory of arrows.

Tramachus’s flames, which projected fire through his body and weapons.

Thyreos’s enhancement ability, which strengthened his body and objects.

All of them were simple, yet powerful and effective.

It was enough to offer a slight understanding for their occasional arrogant demeanor.

Among them, the most useful, in Anagin’s view, was Lynceus’s farsight.

As if to prove that his eyes weren’t large for nothing, Lynceus truly had exceptional vision.

Not only could he see a thousand li away, but if he knew the target’s general information, he could even locate hidden targets.

Thanks to that, no bandit hideout was ever missed.

It was almost on the level of cheating.

Anagin learned why practitioners committed all kinds of deeds—plunder, lies, and more—to receive a god’s blessing.

Because with just one blessing, one could gain power incomparable to their previous self!

It was like a person gaining a lion’s fangs, a bear’s strength, or an eagle’s wings.

That said, he didn’t feel a desire to obtain a blessing himself.

More precisely, blessings themselves were tempting, but not to the extent that he would flatter a god.

Part of it was that the path Anagin pursued was not Tacheon, which relies on a god's help, but Jacheon, ascending by using one’s own power.

‘Still, it feels like a waste to just give up....... Ah!’

Suddenly, the story about Ruins came to mind.

Training grounds for practitioners.

The place where all kinds of trials and dangers slept, but if overcome, one could obtain various treasures.

Among those treasures, there was said to be even a god’s blessing.

Perhaps by exploring Ruins, one could obtain a blessing.

Even if a blessing gained by fawning over a god held no appeal, a blessing found and claimed with one’s own hands was a different matter.

By the time his thoughts reached that point, Anagin had to admit that accompanying the New Argonaut Expedition Team had not been a bad choice.

It wasn’t a method that led directly to the ultimate goal of becoming a god, but at least it had given him a concrete plan for what to do next.

As expected, when you do good deeds and listen to the voices around you, fortune comes of its own accord.

Just like when he had (unintentionally) saved Sanchonius and, following his words, gone to meet the New Argonaut Expedition Team.

And Anagin was not the only one to whom fortune had come.

“Ooh...! Well done, well done!”

The campsite, now larger in scale, along with its increased numbers.

From one corner of it, a cheerful voice rang out—bright and warm, praising someone. It was none other than a voice praising the siblings Kori and Pais.

Those offering praise were vigilantes, bounty hunters, and practitioners who had joined midway. As they watched Kori and Pais practicing their slingshots, they spared no advice or encouragement.

After all, even at such a young age, children striving to avenge their grandfather wouldn’t look bad to anyone.

On top of that, Kori and Pais had initially gone out with Anagin to fight bandits, but recently they had fought alongside these people and grown close to them at a rapid pace.

Even Irida and the New Argonaut Expedition Team, who had been displeased at first, were gradually conversing with them and offering instruction.

Was it the power of children’s natural affinity and adaptability?

“Feeling lonely?”

Sphinx, who should have been preparing dinner, approached him.

“I mean, about the kids leaving your side and playing with other people.”

“Yeah, I am lonely.”

“...You’re lying.”

“Even if I say yes, you complain. More importantly, shouldn't you be preparing dinner?”

The Anti-Forest Brotherhood needed every role filled, and Sphinx was no exception, even though she couldn’t fight.

Since even the two little kids, Kori and Pais, participated in battle with slings and stones, in a sense, Sphinx could be said to be more useless than the children. As a result, she had to shoulder more miscellaneous chores than others.

Cooking, cleaning, laundry—things like that.

Naturally, she had so much work that there was hardly any time for idle chatter.

“It’s fine. Thanks to someone, my hands have gotten faster.”

“I don’t know who that is, but you should be grateful.”

“Right, I should be grateful. Just who could it be?”

Despite her words, Sphinx glared at Anagin with eyes like axes. He couldn’t tell what she was dissatisfied about when she was supposedly grateful.

Instead of simply accepting the unreasonable anger, Anagin asked forthrightly what her problem was.

“I’m the one suffering, but you seem to be taking it way too easy. Honestly, out of everyone here, it feels like you’re the one doing the least.”

“How could you say such harsh words?”

“But isn’t it true? You’ve basically handed the kids’ training over to others, and these days you don’t even go out to fight, do you?”

From Anagin’s perspective, it was an unfair accusation, but it was also true.

Lately, Anagin hadn’t been overseeing Kori and Pais’s training, nor had he gone out to fight the Forest Brotherhood.

Still, as mentioned earlier, there was an unfair side to it as well. It wasn’t simply that he was being lazy; rather, the amount of work that naturally fell to him had decreased.

In the early days, Anagin not only supervised Kori and Pais’s training as usual but also went out with them to raid the Forest Brotherhood.

That was when the numbers of the New Argonaut Expedition Team and the vigilantes were still small.

However, as people flocked in due to their repeated victories over the Forest Brotherhood, the roles Anagin handled began to diminish before he even realized it.

Isn’t it only natural that when there are more hands to work, some hands end up idle?

If five people did a workload of 10 in the beginning, now 15 people were doing a workload of 10.

As a result, those brimming with motivation took on the tasks, while those with relatively less drive, people like Anagin, began to take it easy.

He did want to crush the Forest Brotherhood, but not enough to push aside those who were eager to do it themselves.

For those reasons, Anagin had been enjoying a rather relaxed time lately. Of course, that didn’t mean he was bored. Because.......

“You taught the kids properly.”

There were, from time to time, people who came over to pester Anagin.

* * *

Fortunately, the ones pestering Anagin weren’t doing so with that kind of intent.

If it had been like that, there might have been a murder case, so it was truly fortunate.

They were approaching him to gauge Anagin’s reputation—the extreme reputation as the Hero of the Outskirts and the Practitioner Killer.

“How about it? You should join us. I'm curious how you taught them.”

“I told you already. I just made them practice slinging stones at least a hundred times a day.”

Anagin gently but clearly signaled his refusal.

He didn't particularly want to become close with those guys, and the moment he gave them even a little opening, they tried to push for a spar.

Whether it was a spar in the pure sense or whether they had some other agenda, he couldn’t tell.

‘Judging by how they’re scheming, it feels like they’ve got something up their sleeves....’

Either way, he had no intention of playing along, so Anagin kept refusing.

It was bothersome, and for Anagin, sparring carried a different meaning than it did for others. Wasn’t that why he had refused to spar even within the Dolos Family?

You could call it making a fuss, but from Anagin’s point of view, it was unavoidable.

Of all things, he had learned sparring from his master.... Yeah, it was all his master’s fault. That ignorant and vicious man’s fault.

“Heh, that’s unexpected. To think the Hero of the Outskirts would be this shy.”

Normally, they would have backed off by this point, but today something was different.

There was a sense of persistence.

Perhaps because the Forest Brotherhood had been subjugated smoothly according to plan, or because Anagin hadn’t shown any notable exploits and had been lazing around, they pressed him more aggressively.

“Brother....”

Sphinx, who had been watching the situation, looked at Anagin with concern.

Given Anagin’s usual temper, this would have been the point where fists flew.

However, that didn’t happen.

“I do have a somewhat delicate side. On that note, my beloved younger sister, is Irida’s meal being prepared properly?”

Preparing meals for Irida and the rest of the New Argonaut Expedition Team was actually Sanchonius’s job, but Anagin didn’t care and lied outright.

Sphinx caught on and played along.

“Huh? Uh, yeah.”

At that, the one pestering Anagin immediately backed off.

The reason everyone had joined up despite the presence of Anagin, known as the Practitioner Killer, was because of the New Argonaut Expedition Team of Chiron Tower.

“I can see why everyone is so desperate to build up fame. Aside from catching a god's attention, there are convenient aspects.”

“The Chiron Tower is a special case, but that's not wrong. Life gets much easier when you have a decent signboard. You can avoid unnecessary friction, and it’s easier to get cooperation everywhere.”

“Hm.... Do you think I could get into Chiron Tower or whatever it’s called?”

“Well? With that way of speaking and that attitude, wouldn’t it be hard?”

“So to enter Chiron Tower, you need the vice of flattery rather than the virtue of honesty.”

“No, not ‘would be hard’, it is hard. Do you have any intention of reining in that ‘honesty’ of yours that borders on rudeness?”

“That wouldn’t be like me. More importantly, why did you really come here? I like watching you work.”

“Haaah.... I came because there’s something I need to pass on. It’s not certain, but since it came from Sanchonius, there’s a high chance.”

“What is it?”

“It looks like we’ll be meeting the Practitioner Family Alliance in Western Anapik soon.”

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(T/N): I think I’ll be changing the mister to brother.